Snow scores 25, picks up slack for fouled-out Iverson

DENVER (AP) -- Allen Iverson wasn't around during the final
minutes, so Eric Snow picked up the slack for the Philadelphia
76ers.

Snow scored 25 points and made seven free throws in the final
minute as the 76ers withstood Iverson's foul trouble to win their
season-high ninth consecutive game, 100-94 over the Denver Nuggets on
Sunday night.

''Eric played great, and he was exhausted,'' Philadelphia coach
Larry Brown said. ''He missed a big jumper and came right back and
knocked one in when we really needed it, so he did a lot of good
things.''

Snow went 17-for-19 from the line, and the 76ers went 36-for-46 to
move to three games of New Jersey for the Atlantic Division
lead. The Nets lost to Utah.

''We missed some shots, but we got the stops and rebounds when
we needed it and were able to keep the lead, even when Allen was in
foul trouble for most of the game and eventually fouled out,'' said
Snow, who fell one point short of his career high. ''That made it
interesting.''

Iverson scored 17 points -- 10.2 below his average -- before
fouling out with 5:49 to play. He missed 11 of his 16 shots from
the field and played just 29 minutes.

''It was frustrating, but all I care about is getting out of
Denver,'' Iverson said. ''Getting away from here, away from those
referees with a win.''

Juwan Howard scored 25 points to lead the Nuggets, who lost
their 12th in a row.

''We just went toe-to-toe with one of the hottest teams in the
league and came up a little short,'' Denver coach Jeff Bzdelik
said. ''We had an opportunity and let it slip away.''

Iverson made his only basket of the fourth quarter with 8:18
left, and when he fouled out the 76ers were leading 88-78. Denver
took advantage, and Vincent Yarbrough followed Shammond Williams'
3-pointer with one of his own to narrow the gap to 92-88 with 2:45
left.

''I think it helped me that they made some 3-pointers,'' Snow
said. ''That keeps you mentally in the game.''

Snow put the Sixers up 96-91 with a free throw, following a
delay-of-game technical, and he made one of two after being fouled.
Howard's 3-pointer got Denver to 96-94, and the Nuggets still had a
chance to tie when Derrick Coleman hit only one free throw. But
Howard's pass to Williams hit the sideline with 18 seconds left,
and Snow sealed the victory with two more free throws.

''We fell apart in the last two minutes when things didn't go
well,'' Williams said.

The Sixers extended their six-point halftime lead to 81-68 in
the third quarter, and Iverson sat out much of the period after
picking up his fifth foul with 6:40 left. Snow picked up the slack,
scoring eight points, while Brian Skinner and Greg Buckner had a
basket each in the final 1:08.

Philadelphia played most of the second quarter without Iverson,
who was rested the first three minutes of the quarter and sat out
the final 2:41 after picking up three offensive fouls. Snow
converted four free throws and a jumper, and Efthimios Rentzias hit
a 3-pointer in the final five seconds to put the Sixers ahead 53-47
at halftime.

Game notes

Four of Iverson's fouls came on charging calls. ...
Philadelphia's Keith Van Horn was held out with a stomach virus.
... Iverson was cheered after each made shot and free throw. ...
The Sixers have scored at least 100 points in six consecutive games.
... The losing streak is Denver's longest since a 16-game skid from
Feb. 2 to March 10, 1998. ... Ryan Bowen missed his second game
because of a stomach muscle contusion.